French clothing color vocabulary, including terms for garments and examples for everyday conversation.
Understanding how to talk about colors in clothing is essential for describing outfits, shopping, and giving or asking for fashion advice in French. This guide covers the most common clothing items and how to use color words with them.
Clothing Vocabulary in French
French nouns for clothing are usually preceded by an article (le, la, l’, les), and the gender of the noun affects how adjectives agree.
| French T. (sg/pl, m/f) | English T. (sg/pl) | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la chemise / les chemises (f) | shirt / shirts | J’ai une chemise blanche. | I have a white shirt. |
| le pantalon / les pantalons (m) | pants / pants | Il porte un pantalon bleu. | He is wearing blue pants. |
| la robe / les robes (f) | dress / dresses | Elle a une robe rouge. | She has a red dress. |
| le pull / les pulls (m) | sweater / sweaters | Nous avons des pulls verts. | We have green sweaters. |
| la jupe / les jupes (f) | skirt / skirts | Elle met une jupe noire. | She’s wearing a black skirt. |
| les chaussures (f/pl) | shoes | J’achète des chaussures marron. | I’m buying brown shoes. |
| le chapeau / les chapeaux (m) | hat / hats | Il porte un chapeau gris. | He’s wearing a grey hat. |
| le manteau / les manteaux (m) | coat / coats | J’ai un manteau blanc. | I have a white coat. |
| le t-shirt / les t-shirts (m) | t-shirt / t-shirts | Il a un t-shirt jaune. | He has a yellow t-shirt. |
| l’écharpe / les écharpes (f) | scarf / scarves | Elle porte une écharpe violette. | She’s wearing a purple scarf. |
Color Vocabulary
In French, color adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun:
- Masculine singular: bleu
- Feminine singular: bleue
- Masculine plural: bleus
- Feminine plural: bleues
Some color names (like marron and orange) do not change.
| French Color (m/f) | English Color | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| blanc / blanche | white | Une jupe blanche. | A white skirt. |
| noir / noire | black | Un pantalon noir. | Black pants. |
| bleu / bleue | blue | Un pull bleu. | A blue sweater. |
| rouge | red | Une robe rouge. | A red dress. |
| vert / verte | green | Un t-shirt vert. | A green t-shirt. |
| jaune | yellow | Une chemise jaune. | A yellow shirt. |
| gris / grise | grey | Un manteau gris. | A grey coat. |
| marron | brown | Des chaussures marron. | Brown shoes. |
| rose | pink | Une écharpe rose. | A pink scarf. |
| violet / violette | purple | Une robe violette. | A purple dress. |
Une robe ___ (rouge).
What is the French word for "red" (singular)?
rouge
"Rouge" is the same for both masculine and feminine singular in French. "Rouges" is plural; "rougé" and "rougée" are not standard color forms.
Examples of Colors in Clothing
Here are some full sentences to show how you can describe clothing colors naturally in French.
| French Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Je porte une chemise bleue et un pantalon noir. | I’m wearing a blue shirt and black pants. |
| Elle a une robe rouge et des chaussures blanches. | She has a red dress and white shoes. |
| Nous achetons des pulls verts et des jupes grises. | We’re buying green sweaters and grey skirts. |
| Il met un t-shirt jaune et un chapeau marron. | He’s wearing a yellow t-shirt and a brown hat. |
| Tu as une écharpe violette ou une écharpe rose ? | Do you have a purple scarf or a pink scarf? |
Tips for Mastering Clothing and Color Vocabulary
- Learn noun genders: This helps you use the correct article and adjective ending.
- Practice adjective agreement: Try making sentences with singular/plural and masculine/feminine forms.
- Use context: When unsure, think about who you’re talking about (he/she/they) to choose the right form.
- Listen and repeat: Hearing native speakers describe outfits can improve your confidence.
- Try it out: Describe your own clothes or shopping lists in French to build habits.
Flashcards (1 of 25)
- English T. (sg/pl): shirt / shirts
- English Example: I have a white shirt.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
